Spatio–temporal variation in stable isotope signatures (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) of sponges on the Saba Bank

Sponges are ubiquitous on coral reefs, mostly long lived and therefore adaptive to changing environmental conditions. They feed on organic matter withdrawn from the passing water and they may harbor microorganisms (endosymbionts), which contribute to their nutrition. Their diets and stable isotope (SI) fractionation determine the SI signature of the sponge holobiont. Little is known of spatio–temporal variations in SI signatures of δ 13 C and δ 15 N in tropical sponges and whether they reflect variations in the environment. We investigated the SI signatures of seven common sponge species with... Mehr ...